Many people's working lives have been altered as a result of the global pandemic, including in Cambodia. Chairman Neak Oknha Chen Zhi (陈志公爵) and Prince Group, as responsible corporate citizens, have opened Cambodia's first independent watch school, the Prince Horology Vocational Training Center. The training centre provides Cambodians with the opportunity to learn a new artisanal skill – watchmaking – and gain the experience necessary to compete in both domestic and international job markets. The training centre adheres to the stringent watchmaking regulations established by Swiss regulatory bodies.
Cambodia, as a country steeped in history, has long preserved artisanal skills for generations, with the Kingdom renowned for its ancient handwoven silk and traditional handicraft industries, which date all the way back to the Khmer Empire, a significance Chen Zhi and Prince Group Cambodia have always recognised and appreciated.
However, new artisanal skills must be introduced to increase job opportunities for Cambodians, particularly given that the textile and garment industry, like other sectors, has suffered significantly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with media reports indicating that over 55,000 workers have been left jobless.
Numerous Cambodians have reintroduced agriculture and established small businesses in an attempt to rebalance their lives. To that end, Chen Zhi and Prince Group established the Prince Horology Vocational Training Center in Phenom Penh, Cambodia, to assist in the introduction of new skill opportunities.
The state-of-the-art centre offers a two-year full-time programme based on the certificate fédéral de capacité (CFC), Swiss government-defined standards for vocational education that are widely regarded as the industry standard for basic watchmaking education.
As part of Chen Zhi and Prince Group's environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives in Cambodia, the centre also offers scholarships to local students and those in need of financial assistance, ranging from a 50% subsidy on school fees to a fully funded scholarship that includes housing. The first group of students has begun their journey into watchmaking. Learn more
Prince Group has recruited world-class watchmakers, including Maarten Pieters, a former director of Switzerland's premier watchmaking school, the Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program (WOSTEP).
Additionally, Anthony McGonigle, the center's chief instructor and one of the brothers from Ireland's most famous watchmaking family, compiled the syllabus, which includes lessons on watchmaking's history and culture, as well as benchwork, which includes machining, micromechanics, and the production of components such as the winding stem and balance staff. Additionally, the centre emphasises traditional artisanal skills such as decoration and turning.
“I am honoured to announce the launch of the Prince Horology Vocational Training Center, Cambodia’s first independent watch school. All the center’s modern machinery and equipment have been imported from Switzerland, Germany and other countries,” said Chairman Neak Oknha Chen Zhi of Prince Group. “We have also put together a world-class team to teach Cambodian and international students new skills that will make them competitive in job markets in Cambodia and abroad.”
Prince Group met its ESG responsibilities in other areas last year. It made several large donations to aid in the pandemic's fight and aided flood victims in Cambodia. Prince Charitable Foundation Organization has organised over 240 charitable events and donated more than US$11 million in funds and other materials to benefit over 320,000 people. Chen Zhi and Prince Group donated US$3 million to Prime Minister Hun Sen in early December to assist Cambodia in purchasing 1 million COVID-19 vaccines.
The Prince Horology Vocational Training Center is currently accepting applications for the upcoming school year beginning June 2, 2021. Each year, the centre accepts eight students, at least five of whom must be Cambodian. Please visit https://princehorology.com/ for additional information.
